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Favorite Movie Scenes Vol. One

This is just going to be a collection of my favorite movie scenes/shots. I’ll put the movie title first just in case you don’t want to watch it because you haven’t seen the film. I’ll also give spoiler warnings.

MAGNOLIA

Paul Thomas Anderson is my favorite modern day director. He’s amazing. I could write a whole article about him but I’ll just focus on his tracking shots, which I love. The two clips I’m showing are from Magnolia, his 1999 film about chance and fate. The first is a 135 second single take that covers multiple floors and subjects on a TV studio. The second clip is a 79 second shot following William H Macy into a bar where we are introduced to Brad the bartender. Both these clips are just fantastic camera work from a young soon to be legend of film.

JAWS

Jaws is my favorite film of all time. This is my favorite scene in my favorite film of all time. This is my favorite scene of all time.

FULL METAL JACKET

I’ve always loved this movie but whenever I think of the film, I think of this scene. Kubrick was a one of a kind filmmaker. This is known. He’s always been a fan of tracking shots. I find this special because not only is it a perfectly tracked shot with the soldiers lined up sitting down and stretchers being flashed by in the opposite direction of the camera, but it’s a tracking shot of a tracking shot. I loved how Kubrick filmed filmmakers essentially filing the same shot as he is. Plus…Surfin’ Bird.

DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB

Again, Kubrick…filming airplane sex. Best opening of all time.

INCENDIES

Speaking of openings, this is one of the most haunting shots I’ve ever seen, and it opens the film. For those of you who have know idea what film this is. Watch it. It’s amazing.

BLUE VELVET

I could have picked another Frank Booth scene from this movie but this is just too perfect. David Lynch is amazing and Blue Velvet is just a one of a kind film. It’s a disturbing but very emotional film all wrapped in a twisted little package.